Beebe Timothy J, McRae James A, Harrison Patricia A, Davern Michael E, Quinlan Kathryn B
Survey Research Center, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
J Clin Epidemiol. 2005 Apr;58(4):421-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2004.10.007.
To determine to what extent the substance-use information obtained in surveys is affected by method of data collection.
Questions on the use of alcohol and drugs were administered to samples of Minnesota adults assigned to one of two conditions to test the effect of mode of administration (mail and telephone); 816 persons completed the survey, roughly one half by mail and one half by telephone.
Those interviewed by telephone revealed more heavy use of alcohol, but the mail sample includes disproportionate numbers of respondents from demographic groups that exhibit less use. Controlling for these differences across modes, as well as the differential use of listed telephone numbers and addresses, reduces the effect of mode on one measure of heavy alcohol use to nonsignificance but yields significant effects of mode on others. Specifically, those in the mail condition reported higher levels of illicit drug use in the last year, alcohol use in the last month, and heavy alcohol use in the last 2 weeks.
The greater, and arguably more accurate, reporting of substance use, coupled with potential cost savings, suggests that researchers should consider using mail surveys for investigating substance use.
确定调查中获取的物质使用信息在多大程度上受到数据收集方法的影响。
向明尼苏达州成年人样本询问了酒精和药物使用情况，这些成年人被分配到两种情况之一，以测试管理方式（邮寄和电话）的效果；816人完成了调查，大约一半通过邮寄，一半通过电话。
通过电话访谈的人显示出更多的重度酒精使用情况，但邮寄样本中来自使用较少的人口群体的受访者数量不成比例。控制不同方式之间的这些差异，以及列出的电话号码和地址的不同使用情况，会使方式对一种重度酒精使用衡量指标的影响降低到无显著意义，但在其他指标上方式仍有显著影响。具体而言，邮寄组的人报告在过去一年中非法药物使用水平更高、过去一个月的酒精使用情况以及过去两周的重度酒精使用情况。
物质使用情况报告更多且可能更准确，再加上潜在的成本节约，表明研究人员在调查物质使用情况时应考虑使用邮寄调查。
